The 7 Shocking Truths About 'The First Thanksgiving' You Never Learned In School

Step back in time to the autumn of 1621, and you’ll find that the historical event commonly known as "The First Thanksgiving" is far more complex, and frankly, more shocking, than the simple, friendly narrative we often hear. As of late 2024, historical research and the vital voices of the Wampanoag people continue to challenge the long-held myths, revealing a three-day harvest celebration rooted in necessity, diplomacy, and a tragic prelude of disease and conflict. This deep dive strips away the familiar imagery of buckle-hatted Pilgrims and generic "Indians" to uncover the nuanced, uncomfortable, and ultimately more truthful story of the gathering at Patuxet, now known as Plymouth. The real story of the 1621 harvest feast is one of survival, complex intercultural relations, and a historical moment that was never called "Thanksgiving" by the participants. It was a one-time event, not the start of an annual tradition, and its true nature is essential for understanding the foundations of American history.

The Complex Cast of Characters: Key Figures of the 1621 Harvest Feast

The event that took place in October or November 1621 involved two distinct groups, each with its own leaders, motivations, and history. Understanding these key figures is crucial to grasping the diplomatic and cultural significance of the gathering.

• The Colonial English Settlers (Pilgrims):
  • William Bradford: The long-time governor of the Plymouth Colony, whose journal, *Of Plimoth Plantation*, provides one of the two primary firsthand accounts of the event. He led the surviving Separatists through the "Starving Time."
  • Edward Winslow: A senior leader and diplomat of the colony. His letter is the second primary source detailing the three-day harvest celebration. He was instrumental in establishing the initial peace treaty with the Wampanoag.
  • The Survivors: Only about 52 English settlers remained alive to attend the feast, having lost nearly half of their original 102 passengers to disease and starvation during the first brutal winter.
• The Wampanoag People:
  • Ousamequin (Massasoit): The *Sachem* (leader) of the Pokanoket Wampanoag Confederacy. His decision to forge a treaty with the English was a strategic move to protect his people from rival tribes, particularly the Narragansett, whose population had not been decimated by recent European-introduced plagues.
  • Tisquantum (Squanto): A Patuxet man who played a critical, though tragic, role. He had been kidnapped by English explorers years earlier, sold into slavery in Europe, and returned to find his entire village of Patuxet wiped out by disease. His unique knowledge of English and the local environment made him a vital interpreter and agricultural advisor to the Pilgrims.
  • The Delegation: Approximately 90 Wampanoag men, led by Ousamequin, attended the feast. Their unexpected arrival—triggered by the sound of English musket fire—turned a small English celebration into a massive, multi-day diplomatic event.

Myth vs. Reality: 5 Shocking Truths That Debunk the Traditional Story

The popular narrative of the "First Thanksgiving" is a carefully constructed myth that emerged in the 19th century. Going back in time reveals a starkly different reality.

1. It Wasn't Called "Thanksgiving" and Wasn't a Tradition

The 1621 event was a secular harvest celebration, a tradition common in both English and Wampanoag cultures after a successful harvest. The Pilgrims observed religious "Days of Thanksgiving" through fasting and prayer to thank God for a specific blessing, such as a drought-ending rain. They did not call the three-day 1621 feast "Thanksgiving," and it was a one-off event, not the beginning of an annual holiday.

2. The Menu Was Wildly Different (No Pie, Cranberry Sauce, or Potatoes)

Forget the iconic table setting. The 1621 menu was predominantly indigenous and local.

• What was definitely there: Venison (the Wampanoag brought five deer as a gift), corn (maize), beans, squash, fowl (wild duck or geese—turkey is only an assumption), and possibly shellfish.
• What was definitely NOT there: Cranberry sauce, potatoes (not yet common in New England), sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. The English had no butter, wheat flour, or ovens to bake a traditional pie crust.

3. The Wampanoag Arrived Uninvited (and Stayed for Three Days)

The Pilgrims fired their guns and cannons as part of their harvest celebration, a noise that was interpreted by Ousamequin and his men as a potential threat or signal of conflict. The Wampanoag delegation of 90 warriors arrived to investigate. Once the situation was clarified, they were welcomed to the feast. The Wampanoag, realizing the English had limited food, generously contributed by hunting and bringing five deer to the gathering, ensuring the three-day event had enough provisions. This act highlights the diplomatic nature of the feast, solidifying the peace treaty established earlier that year.

4. The Pilgrims Were Not the First to Hold a "Thanksgiving" in America

The idea that the 1621 feast was the *first* such gathering in North America is simply false. Historical records show earlier, documented days of thanksgivings or harvest celebrations held by Spanish settlers in Florida in 1565 and other English settlements in Virginia in 1619. The Plymouth event gained prominence due to its successful outcome and its later adoption as a national symbol.

5. The Peace Was Short-Lived and Led to Decades of Conflict

While the 1621 feast represents a moment of cooperation and diplomacy, it was followed by a century of escalating conflict. The treaty established with Ousamequin lasted for over 50 years, but as more English settlers arrived, encroachment on Wampanoag land became inevitable. The relationship deteriorated severely after Ousamequin’s death, culminating in the devastating King Philip's War (1675-1678), which effectively ended Native American sovereignty in the region and decimated the Wampanoag population.

The Wampanoag Perspective: A Deeper Understanding of the 1621 Diplomacy

To truly go back in time, one must acknowledge the Wampanoag voice. For the Wampanoag people, the 1621 harvest feast is viewed not as a founding moment of national unity, but as a complicated diplomatic maneuver during a time of existential crisis. The Wampanoag had been severely weakened by European diseases, which had wiped out up to 90% of their population in the years preceding the Pilgrims' arrival. The village of Patuxet, where the Pilgrims settled, was already cleared because its inhabitants had perished from these plagues. Ousamequin saw the struggling English settlers as a potential military ally against his powerful rival, the Narragansett tribe, who had been spared the worst of the epidemics. The treaty, and the subsequent feast, were a calculated strategy for survival and defense, not merely an act of selfless generosity. The Wampanoag taught the Pilgrims how to plant local crops like maize and where to fish, ensuring the colony's survival after the brutal "Starving Time" winter. Their presence at the feast was a demonstration of strength, a show of force (90 men to the Pilgrims' 52) to ensure the English understood the terms of the fragile peace.

The Legacy: How the Myth Was Created and Why It Endures

The modern, romanticized version of the "First Thanksgiving" was largely created in the mid-19th century. It was not until 1863, during the American Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Lincoln's proclamation, and the subsequent efforts of writers like Sarah Josepha Hale, aimed to create a unifying national holiday that could bridge regional divides and provide a common, feel-good origin story for a fractured nation. They took the historical event of 1621 and reframed it as a harmonious, foundational moment of cooperation, deliberately glossing over the subsequent conflicts and the true cost to the indigenous population. Today, many Wampanoag and other Native Americans observe a National Day of Mourning on the same day as Thanksgiving, commemorating the loss of their land and culture that followed the 1621 feast. Understanding the true history requires acknowledging both the moment of cooperation and the tragic, long-term consequences of European colonization. By going back in time and embracing the complex historical facts, we can move beyond the myth and appreciate the full, nuanced story of survival, diplomacy, and loss that truly defined the 1621 harvest celebration.

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